Railroad-switch.



..I. M. SMITH. RAILROAD SWITCH.

PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1905.

WI e5 InvlenIor.

FIG.3.

' Park, in the county seer mama COPY PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. SMITH, OF WAITE PARK, MINNESOTA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 1906.

Application filed November 18, 1905. Serial No. 287,962.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Waite of Stearns and State of Minnesota, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Switches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to railway-switches, and particularly to that classof switches in which the switch-points are held by means of springs, sothat they will give in case a train or car should be sent through theswitch when set for the adjoining track, and has for its object theimprovement of a switch of the type described to the end that theoperating parts are effectually covered from the weather, so that thereis no danger of the parts disintegrating, and consequently becomingeasily broken and the switch becoming dangerously useless.

The construction and advantages of my invention will be fully explainedhereinafter, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a plan view of a fragmentof a railroa track, showing aswitch with my improved rods in position; Fig. 2, a longitudinalsectional view of one of my improved rods, and Fig. 3 a detailperspective view of the clamp for securing the switch-point to the m s.

In the drawings similar reference characters indicate correspondingparts throughout .the several views.

A and A represent the main-line rails, while B and B represent theturnout -rails leading to a siding. (Not shown.)

C and C represent the switch-points, which are pivotally secured at theend of rails A and B, respectively.

D and D represent tubular rods having slots E.

- F represents clamps each having a tubular portion G, mounted on therods D or D, and an upright member H, secured by means of bolts to theswitch-point. The clamps F are slidably mounted on rods D or D by meansof bolts I, secured through tubular portions G and the slots E.

J represents a curved plate mounted under each tubular portion G toprevent rain-water from getting into the tubular rods D and D.

represents a rod or tube inserted in each of the rods D and D andloosely mounted therein, so as to be slidable. One end 7: of

spring Lis secured rod or tube K bears against the bolt I, securedthrough one of thcclamps F, and a coilto the end It and the bolt I itsfree end secured to a bolt M, secured through the tubular rod D or D. Nrepresents another coil-spring mounted in each tubular rod D and D andhaving one end bearing against the end 7c of the rod K and its other endsecured by means of a bolt O to the tubular rod D or D. The bolt I onthe other clamp F is secured through the coils of spring N midway of itslength.

P represents a switch-stand, Q the lever, and R a rod connecting thelever Q with one end of the tubular rod D. The ends of rods D and D areplugged, as shown at S.

In operation it will be apparent that the springs L and N in the rods Dand D permit movement of the switch-points C and C independently of therods D and D. For instance, if the switch be set as shown in Fig. 1 themain line is open in both directions for the free movement of trains;but should a train or a car be on the siding to which the turnout-railsBand B lead it may be run onto the main line without opening the switchto the turnout-rails, the ing the switch-points to move during thepassage of the car or train and after its passage returning them totheir former position.

I am aware that switches having their points held by means of springs soas to operate as above described have been patented heretofore; but myinvention adds the feature of protecting the operating mechanism fromthe weather and also provides means for causing the switch-points toswing simultaneously, the springs operating as buffers as well as meansfor returning the points to their normal position when pressure isreleased.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combinationwith a railroad-switch, tubular rods, one of said rods connected with aswitch-operating device, clamps slidably mounted on said rods andsecured to the switch-points, and springs secured to said rods and theclamps, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with a railroad-switch, slotted tubular rods, one ofsaid rods connected with a switch-operating device, clamps slidablymounted on said rods and secured aforesaid and has through the slotstherein, said clamps being springs L and N allow- I secured to theswitch-points, and springs serods, bolts secured to said tubularportionscured in said tubular rods and to said clamps, and through the slots inthe rod, a rod slidsubstantially as shown and described. ably mounted ineach tubular rod and hav 3. In combination with a railroad-switch, ingone end secured to the bolt secured to one slotted tubular rods, one ofsaid rods being of the clamps, a spring secured to the same connectedwith a switch-operating means, bolt and inside of the tubular rod, and aclamps secured to the switch-point and havspring secured to the otherend of said rod ing tubular portions fitting on said tubular and insideof the tubular rod, the bolt secured rods, bolts securing said tubularportions to the other clamp being secured to the lastthrough the slotsin the rods, and springssenamed spring intermediate of its length,subcured to said bolts and inside of said tubular stantially as shownand described.

rods, substantially as shown and described. In testimony whereof Ihereto afiiX my sig- 4. In combination with. a railroad-switch, naturein the presence of two witnesses. slotted tubular rods, one of said rodsbeing JOHN M. SMITH. connected with the switch-operating device,Witnesses:

clamps secured to the switch-point and hav- J. I. DONOHUE,

ing tubular portions fitting on said tubular J. BOEHM.

